Gavin Russom – Body Minimalism EP [CURLE053]

NYC synth maestro Gavin Russom continues on with his recent streak of killer techno releases, this time, surprisingly, for peak time specialists Curle. Punisher” is dark, tunnelling and hypnotic business, perfect for the 6AM comfort zone. “All Souls (NYC Mix)” uses sinister droning atmospherics and infectious syncopations, but just wait ’til that warbling melody comes in. Finally we’ve got “Thrashing Truth” which doesn’t leave much to the imagination; with its no nonsense EBM bassline and harsh industrial rhythms.

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Gavin Russom – Body Minimalism EP [CURLE053]

VA – Berlin Atonal Vol. 3 [ATONAL001]

Berlin Atonal is proud to pick up on a tradition begun in 1984 with the publication of two volumes of live recordings from the 1983 edition of the festival. Those records bore witness to the most inventive, adventurous sounds of the festival. Berlin Atonal Vol. 3 carries this custom forward three decades with selections from four of the standout performances of Berlin Atonal 2014. Of course Cabaret Voltaires lauded and historical first show in over 20 years is featured, Richard H Kirk’s no-nostalgia and machinery driven set firmly putting the Cabaret Voltaire project in a future-facing direction. Miles Whittaker’s surprising and muscular live performance also contributes a cut, as does festival favourite Fis with his characteristically lumpy, textural soundscapes. Finally, two selections from Abdulla Rashims memorable session gesture toward a possible future for synthesised music.

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VA – Berlin Atonal Vol. 3 [ATONAL001]

VA – Pater Noster 001 [PATER001]

Pater Noster unleash their first 12”. Overdriven hardware excursions sprinkled with a dose of distortion and red lining their way to completion. An incredibly mature first release composed of five tracks from separate artists, all seamlessly channeling the same curiously destructive vibe.

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VA – Pater Noster 001 [PATER001]

VA – Ad Rvina Imperii [KPT001]

Ad Rvina Imperii is the first chapter of a series of various artists compilations co-produced by Kapvt Mvndi (Blackwater) with Love Blast Records and Stirpe 999 Anti Label. Fire At Work – Spartacvs is a slow motion track with increasing melody. A hypnotic industrial piece made with modulators. Somatic Responses – Dark Ervption is an experimental track mixing Drone and Rough music. On side B comes single track Luciano Lamanna – Giammai Per Sempre, a rough techno track with very deep influences and experimental sounds all made via modulator machines.

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VA – Ad Rvina Imperii [KPT001]

VA – Ideas Of Reference & The Luna Sea [LSD014]

Light Sounds Dark’s steady plummet into the 5th dimension continues in earnest as the label reach their 14th release. A rather special unit, certain to dissipate as cleanly and as smoothly as a 150mics dose of Sandoz’ finest; best to pay the admission and take the trip now if you want in. Fortune favours the brave and fearless exploration is surely required. Gone are the boogie, cosmic and Balearic coloured fractals, replaced now by dark industrial menace, no-wave bleakness and post-punk tribal space music. Painstakingly sequenced and arranged over three discs to give you a truly immersive journey; fasten those seatbelts and take a trip on the rainbow super highway.

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VA – Ideas Of Reference & The Luna Sea [LSD014]

Second Layer – World Of Rubber [DE096LP]

Second Layer was a side project of Adrian Borland and Graham Bailey, members of post punk band The Sound. The music was bleak, detached, and desolate, but very beautiful. Honest songwriting and a harsh sonic backdrop set them apart from their peers. Second Layer’s World of Rubber, first released on Cherry Red way back in 1981 – some two years after the duo’s first outing on 7” – has long been considered something of an industrial classic by those in the know. Here, it gets a deserved re-press from the folks at Dark Entries. 34 years on, it still retains the power to shock, with Adrian Borland and Graham Green’s raw, weighty mix of post-punk basslines, sharp guitars, fuzzy electronics, tape loops and basic drum machine grooves still sounding deliciously fresh. Certainly, it’s comparable to many more celebrated releases of the time, and arguably more spontaneous in feel.

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Second Layer – World Of Rubber [DE096LP]

Alessandro Cortini – Risveglio [HOS426]

For his last outing on Hospital Productions, Nine Inch Nails collaborator Alessandro Cortini utilized just two pieces of equipment: a Roland MC-202 and a delay pedal. For this follow-up, he’s expanded his toolbox a little, supplementing those hardware pieces with two further machines: a Roland TR-606 and TB-303. Musically, Risveglio inhabits a similar space to its predecessor, with Cortini creating blurry, fluid dreamscapes built around semi-rhythmic loops, distorted chords and fuzzy ambient textures. Listeners may struggle to spot the TB-303 – most often used to create ragged waves of intense electronics – such is the unique way in which Cortini manipulates it. Regardless, the Italian’s post-industrial, half-awake soundscapes are thoroughly mesmerizing.

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Alessandro Cortini – Risveglio [HOS426]

Mark Verbos – Walk The Distance [BK013]

The Bunker New York presents a surprise EP from veteran techno producer Mark Verbos – a man whose discography stretches back over 20 years – fits that remit. Flitting between acid-laden psychedelic intensity (“Just A Little Late”), high-octane loop jams (“In The Back Room”) and sweaty, all-out assaults on the senses (the metallic madness that is “Start Up Drive”), it portrays Verbos as a masterful producer of no-holds-barred dancefloor techno. Interestingly, he diverts a little from the script on the EP’s final moment, “Walk The Distance”, combining sparse dub techno rhythms and ghostly electronics.

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Mark Verbos – Walk The Distance [BK013]

Most Significant Beat – Geometric State Compilation [FRV018]

MOST SIGNIFICANT BEAT - Geometric State Compilation

What did the pioneers of Industrial and Synth Wave do when the age of Techno dawned in the early nineties? The simple answer is, some made Techno. Well that’s what Maurizio Martinucci (aka TeZ adn now part of Clock DVA) and Esplendor Geometrico’s Saverio Evangelista did back in the day as Most Significant Beat. This project has lain dormant for more than twenty years but has been dusted down, given a stiff drink and set to wax by Frigio Records. All tracks were recorded in between 1996 – 2000 and were released on CD for Geometrik Records years back except the first track “Geometric State” which is unreleased.  Rediscovered prototypes from the founding fathers of electronic music.

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Most Significant Beat – Geometric State Compilation [FRV018]

Container – LP [SP040]

Ren Schofield, otherwise known as Container, has already released two LPs for the label, both called LP, but each one has seen a constant rebirth of his distorted and utterly screwed up view of techno. There’s seven tracks on here, seven devilish pieces of brain dynamite masquerading themselves as jams made by a human and not by an extra-terrestrial. The LP starts with a shock, “Eject”, and doesn’t get any more sweet or easy on the ears. From “Remover” to “Calibrate”, Container unleashes a filthy collection of clusterbombs which will render any dancefloor a living, walking hell…and we love that idea! A must, as per usual.

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Container – LP [SP040]